This invention relates generally to the field of display enclosures for indoor and outdoor applications. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved enclosure for electronic displays that greatly reduces material and assembly costs without compromising the enclosure""s function or aesthetics. The invention also relates to a method for making the improved message center.
Enclosures for electronic displays having ventilation fans are known. These enclosures typically include side walls, a rear equipment panel, a front window, one or more fans and display modules mounted within the enclosures. Two methods are primarily used for manufacture of enclosures for electronic displays. The first manufacturing method involves forming a sheet metal enclosure, which involves the steps of shearing a flat piece of sheet metal, punching the required holes into the sheet metal, forming additional metal parts, and welding or fastening the sheet metal and the parts together. This method requires expensive and time-consuming operations such as machine set-up, welding and metal finishing, and is typically only cost effective for large production volumes. The second manufacturing method utilizes an aluminum extrusion. In this method the case is extruded in the desired shape, and, therefore, most of the machine set-up time and costs are eliminated. Although this method is better suited for an enclosure for electronic displays, this method still requires costly secondary operations, such as drilling, tapping and punching holes, for the mounting of additional components such as a fans, power supplies, circuit boards, mounting brackets, panels, etc. Secondary operations can significantly increase the manufacturing cost of an extrusion design.
Larger enclosures for electronic displays typically include one or more fans for ventilating the enclosure. The mounting of such fans typically requires additional secondary operations and additional bracketing or other means to support the fan or fans in the enclosure. The location of the fan or fans within the enclosure can negatively affect the aesthetics of an enclosure or reduce the mounting alternatives for the enclosure. A fan mounted to the front of an enclosure can reduce the available front display area of the enclosure and make the enclosure visually less appealing. An enclosure with a rear mounted fan may not be able to be directly mounted to a wall or ceiling without hindering the operation of the fan.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an enclosure for electronic displays that overcomes these disadvantages and other disadvantages. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide an enclosure that is less expensive to manufacture. What is needed is an enclosure that eliminates most secondary operations such as the drilling, tapping and punching of holes. What is also needed is an enclosure with fans that does not require the installation of additional supports, does not reduce the aesthetics or mounting options of the enclosure, and can be assembled without secondary operations. It would be beneficial to provide an enclosure design that is readily adaptable to most indoor and outdoor applications. It would be advantageous to provide a method of making an enclosure that is less expensive, quicker, cleaner, and safer.
The present invention relates to an enclosure for electronic displays. The enclosure includes a frame and at least one coupling assembly coupled to the frame, wherein one of the coupling assembly and the frame includes a plurality of recesses and the other of the coupling assembly and the frame includes a plurality of protrusions configured for mating alignment with the recesses. The enclosure further includes a display module disposed within the frame, a front panel coupled to the frame, and a rear panel coupled to the frame.
The present invention also relates to an enclosure for electronic displays, wherein the enclosure includes a plurality of side walls, each side wall having a plurality of recesses, and at least one corner assembly. The enclosure further includes a means for coupling two side walls to each corner assembly, a front panel coupled to at least one side wall, a rear panel coupled to at least one side wall, and a display module disposed in the enclosure.
The invention further relates to an enclosure for electronic displays including at least two side walls, at least one side wall having a plurality of recesses, and at least two corner assemblies, each corner assembly connecting two side walls to form a frame. The enclosure further includes a front panel slidably coupled to the side walls, a rear panel slidably coupled to the side walls, a module panel slidably coupled to the side walls and at least one display module coupled to the module panel.
The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing an enclosure for electronic displays. The method includes providing at least one side wall, providing a corner assembly, wherein the side wall has a plurality of recesses and the corner assembly has a plurality of corresponding protrusions for mating engagement with the plurality of recesses, and sliding the protrusions into the recesses to form a secure fit, whereby secondary operations, such as drilling holes or punching holes, in the side wall are substantially unnecessary to complete the mating engagement except for mounting the parts together.